Rector, how she loved him, she’d have given up years ago. Now it had happened. It was the lovely furniture and the ornaments and such she loved, elegant things she would have loved to have the money to buy, but never had and never would.
In her mind’s eye she could see the Rector that day when he’d met her outside the cottage in Penny Fawcett she was having to leave. He’d told her how difficult Caroline was finding it looking after the newborn twins and how, when he suggested it, she’d jumped at the chance to housekeep for them and the chance of a bed in that cosy attic room high in the rafters. Those were the days. She turned over and wept.
The very next time she went into the Village Store, Harriet was working in the kitchens at the back. Hearing her voice, she came through to give her a message for Caroline.
‘Could you let Caroline know, I’ve ordered those things she wanted and they’ll be in when the van comes on Friday? Tell her—’
‘I don’t work there any more.’
‘Oh! I didn’t know. I’m so sorry. Too much, is it?’
‘Something like that.’
She’d just finished paying for her shopping when Harriet had come through to see her so she was able to make her escape quickly. But not before just about everyone in the Store had heard what she said.
The whole place buzzed with the news and everyone’s reaction to it.
Sheila Bissett thought the world must have come to an end. Sylvia not working at the Rectory? She’d worked there for years and let everyone know she felt a cut above them all because she was privy to snippets of news which she would never divulge, much to everyone’s annoyance.
Harriet assumed that Sylvia and Caroline had had words, and could see from Sylvia’s face how devastated she was, and felt sad.
Greta Jones guessed it was over the Reverend Anna being there each day in Peter’s study and that Sylvia had rowed with her. Greta’s guess was the closest, but Sylvia deserved much more sympathy than she, Greta Jones, was willing to give.
Jenny Sweetapple, taking an age to choose a birthday card for her gran, thought: whoever gets the job will be ripe for passing on gossip and not half.
Dottie Foskett was in at the same time and wondered if this was an opportunity for her. She wasn’t needed as much at Louise and Gilbert’s now that Louise was so much better, so why not have a go? It would be a real step up for Dottie Foskett and no mistake. Cleaning at the Rectory? My word. Oh! Yes! So she paid for her shopping, hesitated for a moment outside by the post box, thinking Dr Harris’ud be certain to say no, seeing it was her asking. No harm in going round there, though.
It was Caroline who came to the door and looked surprised to see Dottie on her doorstep.
‘Hello, Dottie! Nice to see you. Are you wanting to see Anna?’
Dottie looked up at Caroline and wondered how she’d plucked up the courage to come to ask for a job. ‘Well, actually, the truth is, Doctor Harris, it’s like this. I’ve just heard Sylvia in the Store saying she’d stopped working for you and I wondered if there might be a vacancy?’
Caroline couldn’t believe her good luck. People willing to help in the house nowadays were prized above rubies even if their morals were considered doubtful. ‘Come in, please. We’ll go in the kitchen because Beth’s watching TV in the sitting room at the moment.’
Dottie was glad. The kitchen felt more like her, rather than the Rectory sitting room.
Caroline got Dottie seated at the kitchen table. While she put the kettle on Dottie had a look round. My, but this was a lovely kitchen. It spelled welcome in every inch of it. Every single inch. Kind of golden and sunny, it smelled of good food and comfort with its terracotta floor, and the huge Aga so much at home you could have thought it was put in when the house was built. The curtains were so pretty, all kind of old-fashioned and just right in the nicest possible way.
She thought about her own
In her mind’s eye she could see the Rector that day when he’d met her outside the cottage in Penny Fawcett she was having to leave. He’d told her how difficult Caroline was finding it looking after the newborn twins and how, when he suggested it, she’d jumped at the chance to housekeep for them and the chance of a bed in that cosy attic room high in the rafters. Those were the days. She turned over and wept.
The very next time she went into the Village Store, Harriet was working in the kitchens at the back. Hearing her voice, she came through to give her a message for Caroline.
‘Could you let Caroline know, I’ve ordered those things she wanted and they’ll be in when the van comes on Friday? Tell her—’
‘I don’t work there any more.’
‘Oh! I didn’t know. I’m so sorry. Too much, is it?’
‘Something like that.’
She’d just finished paying for her shopping when Harriet had come through to see her so she was able to make her escape quickly. But not before just about everyone in the Store had heard what she said.
The whole place buzzed with the news and everyone’s reaction to it.
Sheila Bissett thought the world must have come to an end. Sylvia not working at the Rectory? She’d worked there for years and let everyone know she felt a cut above them all because she was privy to snippets of news which she would never divulge, much to everyone’s annoyance.
Harriet assumed that Sylvia and Caroline had had words, and could see from Sylvia’s face how devastated she was, and felt sad.
Greta Jones guessed it was over the Reverend Anna being there each day in Peter’s study and that Sylvia had rowed with her. Greta’s guess was the closest, but Sylvia deserved much more sympathy than she, Greta Jones, was willing to give.
Jenny Sweetapple, taking an age to choose a birthday card for her gran, thought: whoever gets the job will be ripe for passing on gossip and not half.
Dottie Foskett was in at the same time and wondered if this was an opportunity for her. She wasn’t needed as much at Louise and Gilbert’s now that Louise was so much better, so why not have a go? It would be a real step up for Dottie Foskett and no mistake. Cleaning at the Rectory? My word. Oh! Yes! So she paid for her shopping, hesitated for a moment outside by the post box, thinking Dr Harris’ud be certain to say no, seeing it was her asking. No harm in going round there, though.
It was Caroline who came to the door and looked surprised to see Dottie on her doorstep.
‘Hello, Dottie! Nice to see you. Are you wanting to see Anna?’
Dottie looked up at Caroline and wondered how she’d plucked up the courage to come to ask for a job. ‘Well, actually, the truth is, Doctor Harris, it’s like this. I’ve just heard Sylvia in the Store saying she’d stopped working for you and I wondered if there might be a vacancy?’
Caroline couldn’t believe her good luck. People willing to help in the house nowadays were prized above rubies even if their morals were considered doubtful. ‘Come in, please. We’ll go in the kitchen because Beth’s watching TV in the sitting room at the moment.’
Dottie was glad. The kitchen felt more like her, rather than the Rectory sitting room.
Caroline got Dottie seated at the kitchen table. While she put the kettle on Dottie had a look round. My, but this was a lovely kitchen. It spelled welcome in every inch of it. Every single inch. Kind of golden and sunny, it smelled of good food and comfort with its terracotta floor, and the huge Aga so much at home you could have thought it was put in when the house was built. The curtains were so pretty, all kind of old-fashioned and just right in the nicest possible way.
She thought about her own
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